When you’re working in adult learning and development, it’s only a matter of time before someone brings up “learning styles” as a methodology.

Otherwise content-rich books and articles fall on their face at the mention of this myth – it’s a clear cringe for those of us that have done the real work – and research.

Many adult learning practitioners know this myth well – and we do our best to stop it from perpetuating. Despite the popularity, there’s no credible evidence to support the concept of learning styles. While people may have preferences for how they like to learn, these preferences don’t often translate into better learning outcomes.

What Are Learning Styles?

If you’re unfamiliar with this term, “learning styles” are defined most often as Visual, Auditory, Read/Write, or Kinesthetic (VARK). The learning styles theory suggests that each person has their own unique “learning style” and will almost always better understand learning content delivered in that style.

What’s the Myth?

The problem with this? It’s all false; not a bit of it is backed by research. Quite contrary, the research shows the opposite: learning styles are simply a myth.

Don’t believe me? I bring sources, of course! This article from the University of Michigan is a great roundup of research, and you can read more research from the American Psychological Association, Nature, Frontiers in Psychology, Computers & Education, and so many more sources with a quick search.

Learning Preferences Sounds… Less Scholarly

People may have different preferences about the modality or format they consume content in, but there is no research to suggest people actually learn more or better based on that preference. Those preferences may be fairly consistent across different topics, or they may shift based on the content being learned. Almost all learning material has some kind of audio/visual and read/write content, and good quality learning material will allow for hands-on (kinesthetic) content too. A well-designed learning course or program includes multiple modalities to reinforce learning across multiple senses.

Students might feel more engaged when instruction aligns with their preferred “learning style,” but this doesn’t necessarily mean they’re learning more effectively. Preferences don’t necessarily translate into better learning outcomes when instruction is tailored to a specific style.

Designing for Disability

And then of course, what if some of your learners’ senses are impaired? Multiple modalities allow your audience – whether you’re speaking or training – to consume your content in the way that is most accessible to them. But none of that means that people have “learning styles” you must accommodate for!

It’s crucial to avoid oversimplifying actual learning differences by attributing them solely to learning styles. While some individuals with learning disabilities may have preferences for how they learn, their challenges are rooted in neurological differences that require specialized support.

What To Do Instead?

While it’s natural to want to cater to learners’ individual needs, focus on evidence-based teaching strategies that provide multiple modalities of instruction and support for individual needs. Get rid of the learning styles myth, and be more likely to improve learning outcomes for all involved. Here are some practices backed by evidence you can use instead:

• Active Learning: Engaging learners in activities that require them to think critically and apply knowledge
• Feedback: Providing constructive feedback to help learners improve
• Metacognition: Teaching learners how to learn effectively by monitoring their own understanding and adjusting their strategies accordingly

I’ve spent over 20 years working with adults and how they learn, and it’s a personal goal of mine to keep debunking the myth of learning styles for other practitioners. I may even be passionate enough about this topic to make it part of my next book! (When’s that coming out? Sign up to be the first to know!)

The post The Learning Styles Myth appeared first on Inclusive Pixelation.

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)! All month long, I’ll be sharing some of my favorite resources on accessibility and disability inclusion in the workplace.

This post features some of my favorite books on accessibility and disability inclusion.

I’ve read the books below to expand my own knowledge – but there are so many more on my reading list! I’d love to hear what books you’re reading on accessibility and disability inclusion as well.

• Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally by Emily Ladau
  • Demystifying Disability is an easy-to-access handbook on important disability issues you need to know about, including how to appropriately think, talk, and ask about disability; recognizing and avoiding ableism; practicing good disability etiquette; ensuring accessibility becomes standard practice; appreciating disability history and identity; and identifying and speaking up about disability stereotypes in media. Authored by disability rights advocate, speaker, and writer Emily Ladau, this practical, intersectional guide offers all readers a welcoming place to understand disability as part of the human experience.
• Accessibility for Everyone by Laura Kalbag
  • We make the web more inclusive for everyone, everywhere, when we design with accessibility in mind. This book guides you through the accessibility landscape: understanding disability and impairment challenges; recognizing important laws and guidelines; and learning how to plan for, evaluate, and test accessible design. Leverage tools and techniques like clear copywriting, well-structured IA, meaningful HTML, and thoughtful design to create a solid set of best practices. Whether you’re new to accessibility or a seasoned professional, this book will help you get on the path to designing with accessibility and inclusion in mind.
• Inclusive Design for a Digital World: Designing with Accessibility in Mind by Regine M. Gilbert
  • As a creator in the modern digital era, your aim should be to make products that are inclusive of all people. Technology has increased connection and information equality around the world. To continue its impact, access and usability of such technology must be made a priority, and there is no better place to get started than with this book. Learn the moral, ethical, and high level legal reasons for accessible design; tools and best practices for user research and web developers; the different types of designs for disabilities on various platforms; web compliance guidelines; and testing products and usability best practices. Created for practitioners of product design, product development, content, and design across many disciplines.
• Designing Accessible Learning Content: A Practical Guide to Applying Best-Practice Accessibility Standards to L&D Resources by Susi Miller
  • This is a detailed guide on accessibility for anyone involved in the design, creation, development or testing of online learning content. It offers essential, in-depth background information such as a focus on disability, an overview of assistive technology and an exploration of the case for digital accessibility. It provides detailed guidance on how to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines making it essential reading for L&D professionals, instructional designers and course developers who need to comply with legal accessibility requirements. This book also demonstrates how creating accessible learning content can improve usability and provide the best possible learning experience for everyone.
    Are you looking for more about Accessibility for Online Learning? Don’t miss my Accessibility for eLearning Checklist and my Linktr.ee of additional resources!

I hope you have a few new books for your reading list! We’ve covered books and courses, so stay tuned for the next post on podcasts.

The post NDEAM Resources: Books About Accessibility and Disability Inclusion appeared first on Inclusive Pixelation.

The Association for Talent Development (ATD)’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) podcast features conversations with diversity, equity, and inclusion experts who share their insight on how talent development professionals can advance DEI at work. This episode features yours truly, Britne Jenke, for a discussion on Inclusive Design.

Britne Jenke, CPTD (CPLP) and long-time instructional designer, discusses with Eliza Blanchard how talent development professionals can adopt an inclusive design philosophy and make training accessible for all learners.

Listen to the Full Episode

ATD DEI Podcast: Britne Jenke on Inclusive Design

(Having trouble with the embedded file? Try this link instead.)

For more of the ATD DEI Podcast, visit the homepage here.

Favorite Moment

Q: Are there any common organizational constraints around inclusive design (i.e. lack of time, lack of staff, lack of financial resources, misconceptions)? How can instructional designers work to overcome those constraints?

A: I would counter any of those constraints by asking, if the organization isn’t going to design for all learners, why are they designing learning at all? If they don’t have the time, staffing, or resources to design learning for those who need it, I have bigger questions for this training organization’s leadership! Designing with inclusion and accessibility in mind should just be the way that it’s done, not an add-on or afterthought.

Resources Shared

I mentioned a few resources in my interview – all of which are now on my Linktr.ee! – but also linked below for easy access.

• ATD Toolbox Tip: Why You Should Optimize eLearning for Screen Readers
• Microsoft Inclusive Design Toolkit
• Designing Accessible Learning Content: A Practical Guide to Applying Best-Practice Accessibility Standards to L&D Resources

Follow Up

If you’re an ATD Chapter looking for a session on Accessibility for Online Learning, please contact me! I’d also love to be a guest on your podcast to talk about accessibility in online learning, inclusive design, or other ways of making work accessible.

The post ATD DEI Podcast: Britne Jenke on Inclusive Design appeared first on Inclusive Pixelation.

I wanted to share my Accessibility for eLearning checklist – I hope you find this resource useful! I created this list to be a quick, one-page review of best practices and principles for accessibility and usability in online learning.

Accessibility for eLearning Checklist by Britne Jenke is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Click to download the Accessibility for eLearning Checklist PDF.

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